


You can tell everybody that Vienna waits for you

by Aries_Rising



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston, The Politician (TV 2019)
Genre: (I mean it doesn't need fixing everything is perfect lol), (who would have thought), Crossover, Fix It, Law, Multi, NYU - Freeform, New York, Students, WIP, and set after the first season, bear with me, set after the book, this is just me imaging how the stories could go on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:40:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21663862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aries_Rising/pseuds/Aries_Rising
Summary: Alex has tried everything. "HEY how's it going?", "Hola, wanna talk?", "Yo dude I think you're really inspriring and I would love to buy you coffee", "It sucks you didn't become senator in my opinion!", "This is Alex Claremont-Diaz btw, son of the president...", but nothing seems to work!Near-senator of New York State - Payton Hobart - won't answer any of his texts he sent him on instagram and Alex is clueless as to why. Good thing they are both studying law at NYU and Alex is not going to give up on meeting this fascinating man, appearing to have the same hopes and dreams as him,
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Alice Charles/Payton Hobart, River Barkley/Payton Hobart
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Quick note at the beginning:
> 
> This fic is set a month after the 6th of November, the election day of the New York State senate, which Payton seems to run for. It is some years into Ellen's second term, I haven't calculated the exact year yet. Anyway: Henry and Alex are happy and share a cute apartment in New York. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I am NEITHER American nor British and English is not my native. I could be making content mistakes when it comes to the political system or general errors when it comes to language. I am sorry for that, you can message me if you see anything major and I will be happy to correct it. I'll try my best tho to be as error-less as possible, pinky promise. Enjoy reading!

It was a cloudy day in New York, colder than the usual winter day in DC. Alex wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck to defend himself against the icy wind blowing against his figure walking along the sidewalk.

It was enough that Henry was sleeping on the couch in their apartment, knocked out on medication, contaminating their living space with his bacteria; Alex couldn’t get sick as well! If both of them were sick no one would be able to make soup or set up the VPN client to stream _The Great British Bake Off_ reruns for the third time.

Which is why Alex escaped the hellhole of bacteria also known as their apartment as soon as Henry fell asleep to instead study at the library at the law department, exams were coming up after all and he still had to finish several papers.

Unfortunately he had promised Henry with all his heart that he would never take any kind of doping again for college or work, which left him no choice but to study a lot more during the day. It was okay, Alex got the benefit of being able to share a bed with Henry nearly every night out of it, which is a good deal if you’re asking Alex. Henry’s back against his chest, the little noises he made while sleeping and their intertwined hands were probably enough to make him do anything Henry asked him to.

Alex could now see the imposing building he was heading to in front of him, the cobble stones under his feet becoming more polished as he felt a tiny drop of water on his forehead. He looked up to the sky, it was starting to snow.

He fled into the warm building, got himself a seat to dump his coat, scarf and heavy messenger bag before walking towards one of the hundreds of book cases in search for adequate sources on immigration laws in the early 20th century. He was strolling along the wooden flooring, taking in the awesome smell of really old books in this library while reading the titles, his head turned to the side.

At least he did until he crashed into… something and landed butt-first on the floor, all eyes turning to him. As he regained his sense of orientation, he tried to lift himself from the floor and nearly ran into this person again, until he looked up.

Alex couldn’t believe what was happening right in front of his eyes. He had seen this brown hair styled into a near-perfect quiff and those thick rimmed glasses before. Payton Hobart in flesh and blood was towering right in front of him, with a look of slight concern, here at the library of the NYU law department.

It was the same Payton Hobart that nearly won the race for New York senator a month ago while only being 21 years old. The same Payton Hobart that nearly ended Dede Standish’s career with the snap of his fingers. The same Payton Hobart that had been ignoring him, no matter how many times he tried to slip into his DMs. (13 tries, still not given up yet.)

Realisation seemed to hit the guy standing in front of him, because after his eyes started to widen he quickly turned around and nearly ran away from Alex as if he had a contagious disease. Well… Alex could have a contagious disease but Payton had no chance of knowing that. Still, he left the first son lying on the floor before he could even say a quick sorry or hello, which drove Alex mad. Why did he ignore him? Did he hate him? Or was he scared of him? What did Alex ever do to Payton Hobart to make him react this way?

Alex was relieved, however, to know that Payton did get his messages in the first place, but still infuriated to be treated in such a way. He only wanted to get to know Payton, meet up with him and ask him about his motivation or his ideas for New York, wanted to meet someone that maybe... just maybe could be like him.

He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts. Payton wasn’t worth his precious time if he was going to treat Alex that way. He lifted his butt from the wooden floor, dusted his clothes off and returned to wandering aimlessly along the book cases, of course not at all while asking himself why Payton Hobart hated him.

* * *

When he returned to their apartment a few hours later with 5 books more to add to his collection of sources for his papers on the floor next to his small desk, it was already dark outside. As he tip toed into their living room, expecting quiet snoring he was instead met with accusing blue eyes and a displeased looking prince of Wales, wrapped into a burrito of four blankets, tousled hair, sitting upright on their couch.

Before he could start to apologize Henry had already opened his mouth, probably trying to say something but then deciding against it. His throat hurt like hell and speaking was torture. So he kept on looking in a quite annoyed manner at Alex, waiting for an explanation.

Alex sat down next to his boyfriend and started speaking with a really big smile, showing his shining white teeth “Hi”. Henry just rolled his eyes and lifted his eyebrows, probably wanting to ask where Alex had been. “I’m sorry I left without telling you, I didn’t want to disturb your beauty sleep.” The joke did not please Henry at all. Really quietly he managed to croak “I was worried”.

“And I’m immensely sorry!” he got closer to Henry, their legs touching “I won’t leave your side from now on, promise.” But Henry pushed him away, indicating that he didn’t want Alex to catch his flu. Alex just sighed but leaned back on the other side of the couch and let his head role onto the armrest, his feet nearly touching the blanket burrito that was left of his precious boyfriend.

“The library was really weird. You’ll never guess who I met!” that got Henry’s attention, he made a gesture that could mean something like ‘carry on’. “Payton Hobart! The guy who nearly became senator last month! I told you about him.” Realisation hit Henry and he eagerly nodded his head for Alex to go along with the story.

“Well turns out he is a huge prick! Dude first ran into me, then didn’t even have enough manners to apologize and just turned around and walked away!” Henry started to giggle… or at least Alex thought it to be giggling with Henry protecting his voice it rather sounded like wheezing.

“Why are you laughing?” Alex asked frustrated at the situation. “It’s like… he hates me! Without even knowing me and with absolute no reason at all!”

This sentence made Henry fall into a serious fit of laughter, falling onto his side and coughing after every few laughs. Alex just stared at him in disbelief; when the laughter died down he asked the burning question: “Why are you laughing?”

Henry just looked at him with a sweet smile, his eyes shining brightly. Very quietly he managed to state “sounds somehow familiar,” and raised his eyebrows. He quickly added to further underline his point with a pinch of sarcasm in his voice: “it must suck to have a person hate you without any reasoning behind it.”

“Ah come here you massive dork” and with that he jumped onto his sick boyfriend and pressed his lips on Henry’s. The brit started to protest, but Alex just held his head in place and started to kiss him lazily, their foreheads touching and Alex slipping inside of the blanket burrito, simply not caring anymore if he would get sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo, when I realized that both Payton and Alex were at NYU I just HAD to write something haha.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this first chapter!  
> The stories of Alex and Payton are really close to my heart because I also work in politics in my home country and I can somehow see a bit of myself in both characters, which is why I love them so dearly and I just needed them to meet and to exist in the same world.  
> I will try to continue this as best as I can (I won't have important elections for the next years, but I still work a lot and also need to finish my bachelor as soon as possible so yeah...). Luckily I AM a huge procrestinator, enjoy writing and already have the gist of this fic planned out, let's hope and pray that I will be able to update it regularly. (comments are great motivation btw.)
> 
> You can follow me on Tumblr, it's a great blog with lots of random bullshit that makes you giggle and great fandoms, haha and I will post updates on this fic on there as well. https://www.tumblr.com/blog/ariesrising30
> 
> See you next time! Have a lovely week!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The snow hadn’t stopped in the last 24 hours, it wasn’t quite a snow storm but the weather was unpleasant enough to make the residents of New York stay inside of their homes, unless they absolutely had to go outside. Which is why Henry, who was still sick, had to deal with a really fidgety Alex by his side… for the entire day.

At first it wasn’t as bad. They woke up and Alex made breakfast (Henry still had to get accustomed to American eating habits; why did they have to eat a ton of sugar in the early morning?).

Alex first wanted to go to the library, but Henry made him stay home due to the snow. So Henry laid back on the sofa, the new series of Drag Race, a new box of tissues and cough syrup already waiting for him, while his boyfriend unpacked his notebook and started typing around, probably one of his papers.

Alex seemed to change locations about every 20 minutes, one moment laying in Henry’s lap, then their windowsill, and next their kitchen counters with a big cup of coffee next to him, not yet used to having enough sleep and therefore not needing as much coffee anymore.

Which was the beginning of the end. Henry should have stopped him after his third cup because now Alex was walking up and down their living room while reading a gigantic book on immigration law aloud as quick as Bea could recite the text of her favourite song.

When Alex’ reading got too loud and he could no longer hear the queens on the telly, Henry gathered all his force to stand up, walked over to his boyfriend and with one swift move closed the book in his hands.

Alex stopped reading, his shocked stare alternating between the now closed book and his boyfriend standing in front of him with a worried look on his face. “I wasn’t finished reading,” he just stated. “You need to take a break.”

“Says who?” “Your bloody boyfriend.” Henry started to drag Alex towards the sofa “Come on, I’ll get us some helado?” This made Alex shut up and relax, while Henry went to fetch the ice cream from their refrigerator.

They ate in silence, Henry again concentrated on his favourite queens on the Drag Race runway while Alex started staring into his phone, his eyebrows raised. “What are you doing?”, Henry asked, his ice nearly finished.

Alex slid closer to his boyfriend and turned his phone so Henry could see. “It’s just… That guy I met yesterday? Payton?” Henry nodded “I wanted to see if he had posted anything new on his Instagram but… nothing?” He pointed his index finger to the latest picture on top of the page.

It was a picture of a man, probably Payton, dressed in a suit looking into the distance over the New York City horizon, a quote of him in the lower right corner. “Change is possible”, Henry read aloud, Payton’s slogan during the election. “He posted this 6 weeks ago”, Alex stated.

The description was a long but somehow motivating text about doing great for New York. About social differences, about equality, about the environment and so much more. When Henry and Alex finished reading they started to scroll through his entire Instagram profile.

The most recent pictures were of his campaign. Payton playing with little children in the street, Payton walking around New York, Payton helping out in a soup kitchen and much more. There was one picture that had Henry pondering.

Payton was sitting on a bench his arm around the shoulders of a beautiful woman with rather short, blonde hair. The colourful autumn leaves around them and the sun nearly setting in the distance made the picture even more striking. They were looking at each other, smiling from ear to ear. “I always thought he was gay.”

Alex was hit by a sudden burst of laughter when he heard Henry’s statement. “What? That’s called a gaydar, darling.” When Alex could catch his breath again he just shook his head at his boyfriend while his hand started to search for his phone that he accidently threw on the carpet while laughing.

“On his Instagram it says that Alice is his ‘High School Sweetheart’ and that he would do anything to make her happy.” Alex pointed his finger towards his throat as to mirror puking. Henry laughed “But wouldn’t you do anything to make me happy?” Big puppy eyes stared into Alex’ eyes.

“We’re the exception.” And with that he put his phone away, Payton Hobart’s social media life forgotten, as he kissed Henry’s forehead and snuggled into his side.

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The next day the snow had settled down. It transformed the ever busy, ever grey New York into a marvellous scenery one would only see in a Christmas movie. The fresh snow reflected the lights coming from the billboards or street lights and children were building snowmen and skating on the ice in Central Park. Icicles hung from some roofs and it was probably only Alex’ imagination but a sense of peace hung over the city, the cab drivers not nearly as pissed and the business people not nearly as mean as on usual days.

The perfect day for a night out with June and Nora, who had come to visit Alex and Henry because it appeared they had nothing better to do. Henry was still feeling unwell, which was why Alex found himself sandwiched between his sister and his best friend as they walked along the sidewalk on their way to this hipster bar June was pressuring Alex to go to.

Alex had to admit, that he hadn’t visited many bars since moving to New York, most nights just staying in with Henry, studying or at the very least visiting parties he got invited to. Which is why June and Nora agreed that the time had come for Alex to get to know the city’s nightlife.

They entered the bar, sat down and ordered drinks looking around at the charming atmosphere. The light was dimmed, some fairy lights strung around the ceiling. But what was most appealing about this bar was the live music coming from a piano that stood right in the middle of the room.

When their drinks arrived June and Nora started questioning Alex about NYU. About his apartment, about life with Henry. The questions did not seem to end, June and Nora almost seeming a bit worried about Alex. He assured the two girls that everything was great by telling them funny little stories of him and Henry moving into their little apartment, Alex nearly freaking out about the gigantic amount of tea Henry had brought for their kitchen.

Little stories about his life at college; about that one time a rather young, gay professor had recognized him and was too afraid to talk to him and thank him for being out and proud. About that time Henry, being the fucking history nerd he is, nearly had a heart attack when they visited the Stonewall Inn one night out.

"What were you thinking, taking him there without a warning? If he had died it would have been really bad press." June joked. "I can almost see the headline in front of me 'The king slayer: Alex Claremont-Diaz killed Britain's Darling'" They all chuckled. "No, no! It would sound something like 'The gay curse: Prince of Wales dies in the arms of his American Boy'", Nora added. 

Alex just laughed with his middle finger raised towards them. "We've been talking a lot about myself and Henry, I mean... not complaining, but: How are you guys doing?" Nora started talking about MIT, the exams she (of course) aced and the study group she was leading, "and then there was this girl, Emily, and she didn't even know how to apply a Hamilton operator. Can you believe that?! I really don't understand how she got into MIT in the first place." 

"Hamilton ..., what? Is it something about economical mathematics?", Alex looked at her with confusion all over his face. Nora just laughed, "No. There are more people out there with Hamilton as their last name, Alex. Just cause Lin Manuel-Miranda wrote a musical about Alexander Hamilton, which you totally listened to 24/7 five years ago, doesn't mean all the other Hamiltons are unimportant now." "Well, I won't be getting into MIT in the foreseeable futue." 

June started to give some insights into her book she finished just a week ago. "The editors love it and I'm so glad it's finally finished! As soon as it will get published there will be a press tour all around the US, I don't know if I'm ready yet to leave DC!" Alex put his arm around his sister. "It will be so much fun, trust me! And if you don't come and visit once you're in New York I will totally write you out of my will."

As the three of them kept talking everything suddenly got silent around them as the visitors of the little bar turned towards the piano. Nora shushed the Claremont-Diaz siblings and pointed towards the piano, where a new person started to play some familiar chords a little bit louder than before.

Alex soon recognized the song as _High Hopes_ by the band Kodaline, it was on June’s spotify playlist. Suddenly the pianist started to sing along to the music and Alex was taken aback, because he had heard that voice before. Unfortunately Alex could not see very far because he had forgotten to put contact lenses in before leaving his flat.

He started to squeeze his eyes to fully see the man behind the piano and soon his suspicion was corrected when the singer got into the chorus, the whole bar listening carefully: sitting in front of him in flesh and blood was one Payton Hobart!

Alex leaned against the back of his chair as he closely listened to Payton performing, the world around him forgotten. Alex felt the bare emotion Payton portrayed while singing this song with his unique voice and got entranced by his fingers moving smoothly over the piano keys. When he finished the song, the crowd applauded and Payton carried on to two more songs, before he left the piano and the guy from before returned to play calming background music.

Alex quickly rose to his feet, leaving Nora and June in confusion as he went to the bar, where Payton was now drinking a glass of… something staring into nothingness in front of him with an empty impression. The stool next to him was empty, so Alex sat down.

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Payton did not notice the first son sitting down next to him, shuddered and clutched his drink tightly as he started to speak “Sup.”

At Payton’s reaction Alex leaned back a little bit to give him more space. “We met in the library a few days ago, remember?” Payton just took a sip of his drink and pretended he couldn’t hear Alex, who was now getting a little bit annoyed “You ran into me… Remember?”

Payton not being able to escape the situation just nodded his head, still avoiding Alex’ eyes. Alex just sighed “That was great… what you just did.” But Payton was still silently staring ahead. “Okay, keep ignoring me then, sorry for trying to be nice.” Alex jumped out of his stool, seeming quite grumpy and returned back into the crowd of visitors.

Payton took one more sip of his drink, staring onto the surface before him, his vision slightly blurring and the voices around him spinning around his head. He was clutching his temples now as to concentrate, but was taken out of his spiralling by a familiar voice.

“He just wants to help you”. In front of him stood a familiar, dark haired figure, cleaning glasses. “Well… maybe I don’t want his help”, Payton replied with a slight slur. River looked at him with a stern glance, his forehead furrowing.

“Don’t you even get started with all that ‘Payton!’ crap on me, River. I’m finished with politics, I don’t want to talk to the fucking first son.” River just sighed and kept on washing the glasses, seemingly ignoring Payton, who was taking some gulps and finally finishing his drink.

He stood up on shaky legs, even though the world around him was spinning like crazy. “I… I think I’ll be going home” River just shook his head silently. While Payton was trying to shrug on his jacket he suddenly could see something on the stool next to him. He picked it up and saw that it was a black wallet.

As he opened it he was met with a picture of one really young Alex Claremont-Diaz smiling with all of his teeth showing and his sister behind him, hugging him really tightly. This was Alex’ wallet, he had forgotten it after his talk with Payton.

Payton looked around the room but couldn’t see the first son, only some empty tables and groups of friends sharing cheap beer. He considered the wallet. “Take it with you and give it to him.” Payton was glaring at River for this suggestion. He couldn’t do that, if he did that he would have to talk to Alex Claremont-Diaz.

“Come on!” Payton took the wallet, put it in his messenger back and threw a disapproving glance towards River “There! You happy?” River just smiled reassuringly as he suddenly dematerialized into thin air in front of Payton’s eyes.

Payton sighed again. He would find a way to return this wallet without having to communicate with the first son, he was sure of it. He zipped up his jacket as he left the bar with rather clumsy steps into the freezing night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I'll have to apologize. I wanted this chapter out a week ago, but real life caught up with me and there was always something standing between me and updating (eg. my new flatmate deciding to spontaneously move in last week). Also this chapter was harder to write than the first one and I am not 100% sure as to why.
> 
> I am rather sleep deprived right now because I had to do an allnighter for uni, so apologies for any major mistakes; I'll read through everything tomorrow I just really wanted to update today.
> 
> Updating schedule will now be every two weeks, or every week in special cases in which I have enough time to write.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and comments! It really motivated me to continue working on this project, I'm excited to see where this is going.
> 
> Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

“It’s probably in your jacket. Have you searched your trousers already?”, Henry exclaimed in Alex’ direction while calmingly stirring his Porridge at the stove. “Yeah, it’s not there!” A perplexed Alex appeared at the entrance to their kitchen looking like a kicked puppy. 

“Oh come on Alex, you will find your wallet.” Henry walked up to his boyfriend to give him a big hug and to calm his nerves before Alex could turn over every object in their flat again. Alex let his head fall on Henry’s shoulder and rested his arms on his lower back “I’m so stupid, I probably lost it while partying yesterday. If June hadn’t insisted on paying everything I would have noticed sooner.” 

“We will find it” Henry gently patted Alex’ back and kissed his cheek. This seemed to have an effect as Henry could feel Alex relax in his arms. They stayed like this for pleasantly silent one or two minutes. “I’m so stupid” “Yes you are” “Aren’t you supposed to… I don’t know, cheer me up or something?” “Not if you’re stating the obvious.”

Their little banter was interrupted by the smell of burned food filling the air. Henry quickly jumped out of the hug to put the pan with the rolled oats that had started to turn black away from the stove. There goes his breakfast.

Henry could hear small giggling behind him. “Don’t you dare, Alex, first son of inappropriate giggling” “Serves you right for trying to make this disgusting excuse of a breakfast.” Henry acted fake-offended and hit Alex with his kitchen towel. 

“That’s how you treat your sick boyfriend?” “Sick or just very, very wasted?” “Shut up.” Henry giggled as he started to clean the pot, his stomach grumbling a bit. His appetite had returned after being sick for some time, maybe he could sweet talk Alex into taking him out for some fancy breakfast?

“So… what’s the list for today?” Alex had started inspecting the medicine drawer, probably on the hunt for some aspirin. Henry 100% isn’t going to tell him that he took the last pill two days ago, it really is Alex’ fault for getting this plastered last night and waking him up at 3am, spontaneously deciding to serenade him with “London Boy” by Taylor Swift.

Though Henry has to agree, he has never heard something as endearing, even if Alex forgot some lyrics here and there and he had a slight slur in his pronunciation. Charming as always.

“Uhm… Sobering up?” Apparently he stopped his search and sat at their kitchen table, his pounding head in his hands. “After that: I don’t really know. Still need to look over a paper I finished.” Henry nodded along “And my wallet. If I don’t find it I’ll have to freeze my credit card… I could also go back to the bars we went to yesterday, maybe it’s still there.”

Right when he finished his sentence Alex’ phone started vibrating on the kitchen table. Maybe a text from June or Nora, maybe they had his wallet? Henry sat down opposite Alex as the FSOTUS started to read the message, his face now beaming. Either someone found his wallet or Richards tragically died in a car accident yesterday.

“It’s Payton Hobart! He found my wallet yesterday and just texted me on Insta.” “Splendid!” “He wants to drop it off somewhere for me, but that’s stupid. It’s the perfect excuse to finally get him to talk to me.” Henry’s hopes for breakfast died. “I’m going to tell him to meet me at that coffee shop near the NYU Library.” “He’s going to love that idea.” “Yeah I know he will!” and with that Alex rose from his chair - his headache seemingly gone – and walked into the bathroom, his phone in his hands. Henry just shook his head and started his hunt for something edible again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6 months without uploading she comes back with a.... really short transition chapter. 
> 
> Hi guys! You can't believe how sorry I am for letting this story down like I did in the last half year. I was going through some hardships at work and uni and after that I felt really uninspired, or in other words: broke under the pressure of continuing this story. 
> 
> I can't say that I'm going to upload regularly now, but I am going to try my best. I love this story, it's better than the really disappointing second season of The Politician, trust me! So to still somehow celebrate the second season I thought I would upload this really short scene to show you guys, that I'm still in love with this story and I will not give up on it.
> 
> Have a nice week/summer, and stay healthy!


End file.
